Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic sponsored by The Artsy Reader Girl, is books that I decided I no longer want to read. Well, I don't have any of those so, I decided to do books that have a sports theme. Four of the books feature sports that are in the winter Olympics, which I thought would be fun, since the Olympics are on.

Each cover will take you to my blog review or the book's Goodreads page.

Race for the Gold by Dana Mentink is the only book in this list that I haven't read. In my defense it did just release, and I just got it. 😊
Have you read any of these sport's themed books? Do you have any sports themed books to add? I couldn't find a swimming or tennis one.
I'm a definite football fan. With the winter Olympics I enjoy snowboarding, speed skating, bobsled, and of course figure skating.
Add your favorite sports themed books in the comments.

About the Book

It’s 1968, and love is in the air in the small coastal town of Cambridge, California.

Donna Peterson, the preacher’s daughter, has her entire life ahead of her and the future looks promising. But things aren’t as they seem in Cambridge. A tangled web of secrets threaten to destroy the lives of each person involved – Donna, her boyfriend Bobby, and Rick, Bobby’s best friend. Will the truth make them free, or will they lose their friendship forever?

About the Author

Author Michelynn Christy resides in the Midwest and enjoys creating romantic stories that point to Jesus. Her faith in God shines through the pages of her writing. Michelynn’s debut novelette A Christmas to Remember launched in late 2015. While this pen name and genre are somewhat new to her, she has penned over twenty titles under another pseudonym, has won awards for her works, and has earned best-selling title status. With that said, all glory goes to God!

Brandi Gabriel is co-author of twelve Christian fiction books, including this one. Her first solo novel, The Orphan Bride, released in 2016 and she has since added a sequel in the same series. Her goal in writing is to touch readers’ hearts in some special way and to glorify Jesus Christ, her Lord and Saviour.

Guest Post from Michelynn Christy & Brandi Gabriel

Take a step back in time…
If He Only Knew is a novel set in the late 1960s. The book deals with family relationships, loyalty, friendship, love, and loss. The main topic is somewhat controversial in nature, but we won’t mention what it is lest we spoil the story for readers. A similar book was written in a different genre under another name and the story really resonated with readers. We felt compelled to share this story with others who perhaps wouldn’t pick up that particular genre, and that is how this book came about. It may be set in the sixties, but the message is as relevant today as ever. Our prayer is that God will touch readers’ hearts and draw them closer to Him.

My Thoughts:

A good girl, a pastor's daughter no less, makes a mistake. Thinking she's doing the right thing she stays quiet, and keeps a secret that is killing her on the inside.

The characters were real and relatable. The story was believable and had a thread of suspense that I wasn't expecting, which was fun. My only complaint was that the faith thread woven through the story seemed very preachy to me. I did enjoy the story. It was fun being able to go back in time. Overall it was an enjoyable book.

Giveaway

To celebrate their tour, Michelynn and Brandi are giving away the following:

Grand Prize: ONE themed book box, (this will contain small items that relate to the story
1st Place Prize: ONE $25 Amazon gift card,
2nd Place Prize: ONE signed paperback copy of If He Only Knew
3rd Place Prize: ONE signed paperback copy of If He Only Knew!!

Monday, February 19, 2018

A thirteenth century castle, Chateau de Doux Reves, has been forgotten for generations, left to ruin in a storybook forest nestled deep in France's picturesque Loire Valley. It survived a sacking in the French Revolution, was brought back to life and fashioned into a storybook chateau in the Gilded Age, and was eventually felled and deserted after a disastrous fire in the 1930s.
As Ellie Carver sits by her grandmother's bedside, she hears stories of a castle . . . of lost love and a hidden chapel that played host to a secret fight in the World War II French resistance. But her grandmother is quickly slipping into the locked-down world of Alzheimer's, and Ellie must act fast if she wants to uncover the truth of her family's history.
Sparked by the discovery of a long forgotten family heirloom, Ellie embarks on a journey to French wine country to uncover the mystery surrounding The Sleeping Beauty--the castle so named for Charles Perrault's beloved fairy tale--and unearth its secrets before they're finally silenced by time.
Set in three different time periods--the French Revolution, World War II, and present day--The Lost Castle is a story of loves won and lost, of battles waged, and an enchanted castle that inspired the epic fairy tales time left behind.

KRISTY CAMBRON is an award-winning author of Christian fiction, including her bestselling debut The Butterfly and the Violin, and an author of Bible studies, including the Verse Mapping series. She is a passionate storyteller who travels to speak at ministry events across the country, encouraging women to experience a deeper life in the Word through verse mapping. Her work has been named to Publishers Weekly Religion & Spirituality TOP 10, Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books, RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, and received 2015 & 2017 INSPY Award nominations.

Kristy holds a degree in Art History/Research Writing, and has 15 years of experience in education and leadership development for a Fortune-100 Corporation. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, and can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.

The most important thing? Jesus is everything— let her tell you about Him sometime.

My Thoughts:

I just finished this amazing book about an hour ago and I have so many emotions and thoughts. I'm not sure how I will put all of my feelings into words.

I am trying to remember if I have read a book that had three time periods like Kristy Cambron's latest book, The Lost Castle has, and I can't. I am a huge historical fiction fan, and this book not only hits the mark historically, I adored the Sleeping Beauty twist.

Ms. Cambron does a wonderful job intertwining all three time periods with each of their intricacies into one flowing, engaging, swoon-worthy story set around a lost castle in Loire Valley.

The female characters that we meet in the time periods of present day, WWII, and in 1789 during the French Revolution are strong, and courageous. Their male heroes are valiant, and romantic, everything you want in a hero.

My Bottom Line:

The book is about love, faith, hope, loss but most of all victory in the midst of all the trials that swirl around us. I easily could have read this book in a day. Being a huge fan of Ms. Cambron's work I savored each word. Ms. Cambron has a way to make you feel as though you are apart of the story, and I did. I laughed, cried, and had heart skipping a beat moments. All the emotions that make reading an experience. I highly recommend this book and it will go on my keeper shelf next to the rest of Ms. Cambron's books.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher as part of a street team. I was not required to write a positive review.

Friday, February 16, 2018

Happy Friday!!! I hope you had a wonderful Valentine's week. I'm breaking with tradition here and am going to use a kiss scene from The Lady and the LionHeart. I did a kissing blog post on Wednesday, you can read it here. I also have a giveaway on that post if you can match up the quotes to the author's who wrote them.

About the book:

Two worlds collide when the circus comes to Victorian-era Virginia.
Raised amid the fame and mystique of the Big Top, Charlie Lionheart holds the audience in the palm of his hand. But while his act captivates thousands, it’s away from the spotlight where his true heart lies. Here he humbly cares for his pride of lions as if they were his brothers, a skill of bravery and strength that has prepared him for his most challenging feat yet—freeing an orphaned infant from the dark bondage of a sideshow. A trade so costly, it requires his life in exchange for hers, leaving him tarnished by the price of that choice.
As the circus tents are raised on the outskirts of Roanoke, nurse Ella Beckley arrives to tend to this Gypsy girl. All under the watchful eye of a guardian who not only bears a striking resemblance to the child, but who protects the baby with a love that wraps around Ella’s own tragic past, awakening a hope that goodness may yet reign. When their forbidden friendship deepens, Charlie dares to ask for her heart, bringing her behind the curtain of his secret world to reveal the sacrifice that gave hope to one little girl—boldly showing Ella that while her tattered faith is deeply scarred, the only marks that need be permanent are his own.
Just then a child in the row behind Ella cried out, “Look, Mama!”
Charlie, dressed in his center ring finery, strode into the arena, as strong and strapping as ever. Face powdered and painted with two jagged teardrops under his eyes, he walked with stoic authority, tall boots forging a fresh trail straight toward his audience. Ella didn’t know a single man could hush a packed house with no words, but…then there was Charlie Lionheart.

His thumb felt against her lips again and he waited until she seemed calmer. To his surprise, her eyes closed. He nearly kissed her in that breath, fast and firm and achingly swift, but he had to pull on every ounce of his self-control for his touch to be as feather-light as possible.

And then his lips met hers. She was soft and she was silk. His mind and heart whirled with all that she was to him. Like the dripping of wax to an envelope, he felt a press and a pain and a freedom that something had just sealed inside him. He held her that way for only a heartbeat, then pulled away.

But she slid her hand behind his neck and tugged him back. Kissing him. And then his world went white. Everything but her…gone. From head to toe she was perfect and there wasn’t a single part of her that was less than. Overwhelming was the desire to tell her that. She was a precious gift to be given. All of her. As was this, a kiss. He knew what value it held for her. And she was giving it to him, of all people.

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Happy Valentine's Day!!! Are you ready for some kissing swoon? I hope so because I have an intro in kissing that I hope will increase your temperature just a bit. You may want a fan, and a glass of ice water close. If you have snow outside your door you could step outside for a quick second.

I am giving these two books away to one lucky winner. All you have to do is guess the author who wrote each quote. I will give you the authors names at the end of the post.

Let's get to it!

1. Then in a flick of her gaze to his lips and back, he sensed her consent, and tucking an arm to her waist, he slowly drew her onto his bale, closing the distance to caress her lips with his own. A lifetime of craving this girl flashed through his body like a desert heat wave, and swallowing a low groan, he molded his mouth to hers with an ache so real, he knew she was the only cure.

2. Slowly, I lowered my head, allowing time for her to stop the lesson if she wished. When she didn't move, didn't utter a sound, I pressed my lips against hers. A steady cadence of a drum beat from my center, determined the rhythm. I kissed her again, gently taking in her bottom lip between my own. The strings of violin and cello sang a mournful cry, and the sweetness carried me to the next bar.

3. Without another hesitation, as if to seal his statement, his lips covered hers, as warm and wonderful as the swirl of heat firing through her. His hand moved to the back of her head, twisting his fingers into her bun until he worked it loose. The full weight of her hair fell around her shoulders, encasing both of them in a citrus-scented cocoon. Oh, heart! Alex drew back only far enough to murmur against her lips. "You taste like peanut butter and chocolate."

4. “Let’s face it, Katie Rose,” he whispered, “I don’t want ice, I don’t want water, and I definitely don’t want chocolate.” She caught her breath when his words melted warm in her ear. “I want you . . .”
And before the air could return to her lungs, his mouth dominated hers with such gentle force, it coaxed a breathless moan from her lips, heating the blood in her veins by several degrees.

Putting this fan here in case you need to cool off. Go ahead and take a quick break.

5. Ryan stopped her mid sentence, grabbed her shoulders. He pulled her close and kissed her---hard. He kissed her like his happiness depended on it and in many ways, it did.

6. Ted's hands went to her shoulders and he leaned in to kiss her. The pressure of his lips against hers was gentle, but firm, as if sealing a promise. He pulled back. A perfectly decent, chaste kiss, but she couldn't help feeling disappointed it was over.

7. "Don't overthink it, Rachel." His breath came warm on her cheek, so close his lips would be on her skin if she moved a millimeter toward him. The knowledge struck her with a wave of longing so strong it nearly took her off her feet, too strong to resist. She let it sweep her into him until their lips met. And then their arms were around each other, fingertips caressing, mouths exploring with delicious torturous patience.

8. "Jonas, don't talk, please, don't talk." She roped her arms around his neck, rising on her toes to meet him, her lips finding his. Finding the pulse of his heart. He was breathless when lifted his head, tapping his forehead to hers. "Kiss me again," she whispered. He surrendered to the moment, to her demand, his lips trailing along her cheek and down the nape of her neck. He reached for her hands...

*Tap, Tap, Tap. I'm making sure you're still with me. Breathing? Here's a fainting couch if you find yourself weak in the knees and unable to stand.

9. He was just so...so safe. And warm. He tasted of coffee, smelled of the soap he'd used in the shower, and the kiss turned languid. She could just curl into him.

10. All thoughts were blotted out as his mouth met hers-sweetly hesitant at first, then hungrily. Her senses began to swim in a woozy, melting rush. The unfamiliar feel of him beneath her tentative hands cast a strange spell. They drew apart only to melt back together again, kissing.

Are you woozy? Melting in a puddle? I hope so! That's what these kisses are supposed to do. Suspend our thinking and make us dreamy. If you're familiar with any of the author's kissing scenes you've experienced those emotions and more.

Giveaway rules:

Below you will find a list of author's names. All you have to do is match the author with the quote. The one who has the most correct will win both books.
Email me at radiantlyte@gmail.com with your answers so no one sees. In the comment section leave me a comment telling me which quote is your favorite. All entrants must be received by Friday, February 16th, and you must leave a favored quote in the comment section to be valid.

Here are your author choices are:

Laura Frantz

Rachel Hauck

Julie Lessman

Sarah Monzon

Angie Dicken

Carla Laureano

Susan May Warren

Pepper Basham

Kellie Coates Gilbert

One author is used twice.

For some fun, here is a kissing scene that I wrote when I was participating in NANO (National Novel Writing Month)

Waiting in his car patiently for Shelby to finish changing, Seth hatched a plan. Sending her a quick text he asked if he could come up to her apartment to use her bathroom. "Sure come on up the door is unlocked." He was out of his car and in the hallway before she replied. Shelby pointed to the bathroom, he nodded as he walked through the door. Hearing the door re open Shelby said, " that was quick." "Well I'm a guy." Rolling her eyes she turned her head as he walked by. Leaning in he pressed his lips to hers, hard, feeling her lips submit to his, he wrapped his arms around her pushing her against the wall. Shelby felt her knees weaken and she reached her arms around him to keep from falling, at least that's what she was telling herself. Truth she didn't want him to stop kissing her, ever!

I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day with your sweetheart, and I hope you have enjoyed my kissing post. It was a lot of fun to put together.

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

By a show of hands, how many of you love kisses? If you're like me you not only love a kiss from your husband or wife, you enjoy reading kissing scenes. At least I do. They are some of my favorite parts of a novel.

Today for Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl, Valentine's Day freebie I will spotlight some of my favorite kissing or nearly kissing cover love.

There you have it! My kissing cover love, and this isn't all of them. These barely scratch the surface.

Come back tomorrow for my Valentine's Day - Yes, Kiss Me Again, Intro in Kissing. I have a giveaway too!